1) Field of the Invention
The invention herein relates to a dual in-line type finger-actuated switch comprised of a top cover plate, a finger-actuated switch body, and slide buttons that provides a dual in-line type finger-actuated switch having dimensions of 11.5 mm .times.5 mm .times.2.3 mm and a plurality of slide buttons in which the top cover plate and the slide buttons are re-designed such that the overall assembled structure does not easily deform, has a prolonged service life and, furthermore, reduces production defect rates and increases practical manufacturing value.
2) Description of the Prior Art
In a modern technological society, all industries pursue advanced technological development to manufacture products that are ever more compact in size and of greater precision. While the precision, reliability and quality of such products is emphasized, this involves a higher degree of difficulty during production as well as the associated defect rate problems. These problems illustrate why the prices of high technology products remain high. The most obvious occurrence of the said phenomenon has to do with the electronic components in the products. Since the dual in-line type finger-actuated switch of the invention herein is commonly utilized in a wide range of high technology electronic products, knowing how to enhance dual in-line type finger-actuated switch manufacturing technology will lower production costs and raise technological development levels. Conventional dual in-line type finger-actuated switches are comprised of a top cover, a lower base, and a plurality of slide buttons, with the said top cover constructed of a plastic material rectangular in shape and which has a plurality of slots formed to provide for the insertion of the slide buttons; the lower base consists of a body constructed of a plastic material formed with embedded terminals fabricated of a conductive material, with the embedded terminals aligned lengthwise along two sides of the body; a recess is formed within the body and one end of the terminals are exposed at the bottom inside the recess; the slide buttons are bodies constructed of a plastic material into which is embedded a contact terminal during fabrication; and the body is rectangular with a slide block at the top, with the contact terminals positioned lengthwise at the lower two ends of the body.
In the assembly of the said structure, the slide buttons are inserted into their slots from the bottom section of the top cover, the top surface of the bodies are against the bottom surface of the top cover, the slide blocks are exposed in the slots, and the top cover and the lower base are assembled into a single structural entity with the slide buttons situated in between them.
In the structure and operation of the said conventional dual in-line type finger-actuated switches, numerous shortcomings still remain, including:
1. In the conventional dual in-line type finger-actuated switch, since the bodies of the slide button are constructed of a plastic material and the contact terminals are constructed of a conductive material that is embedded into the slide buttons during fabrication, if the contact terminals are embedded at an angle, then the four points of contact of each contact terminal may be reduced to only three points of contact or even two points of contact, which disables the effective toggling function of the finger-actuated switch. PA1 2. In the conventional dual in-line type finger-actuated switch, to enable the contact terminals along the two sides at the bottom sections of the slide buttons to become respectively positioned relative to the terminals fixed at the two sides of the lower base and thereby maintain optimal contact, the two ends of the top sections of the slide button bodies are aligned with the receding sections and the projecting sections in the top cover and oriented in the direction of sliding to achieve positioning at the contact terminals. However, when the slide buttons are actuated, since the slide buttons are situated in the receding sections and projecting sections of the top cover, the bodies of the slide buttons sink downward during the actuation process and squeeze against the contact terminals at the two bottom sides of the said slide buttons, and because the said contact terminals are thin metal tensile springs, they are subject to elastic fatigue following the repeated application of extremely high pressure, resulting in reduced contact friction and the serious shortcoming of poor contact; at the same time, this shortens the normal times of actuation possible during the service life of the said dual in-line type finger-actuated switch. PA1 3. In the conventional dual in-line finger-actuated switch, the said slide buttons, the body, and the top cover are forced and squeezed during movement, causing the top cover to warp upward and become deformed, and thereby damaging the structure of the conventional dual in-line type finger-actuated switch.
In view of the existent shortcomings in conventional dual in-line type finger-actuated switch production technology and overall structure awaiting improvement, the inventor of the invention herein conceived and researched an innovative solution based on specialized knowledge and design experience gained from professional engagement in the related fields which culminated in the successful development of a dual in-line finger-actuated switch of improved structural design.